Freak on a Leash
by Chanson
Summary: Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before it takes something from him. . .Louis L'Amour
1. Grimm Reality

If you took Sleepy Hollow and sent it foward a hundred years, you'd probably find yourself in Forks. But Sleepy Hollow probably had better weather. Let me know if there is ever anything other than a few precious hours of sunshine in thise place.

Now. Why am I in a 21st century Sleepy Hollow? Because my life turned into a fairytale; that's why. And I don't even know what's wrong with me. People aren't supposed to want to eat people. That's not how our minds are supposed to work, right? Maybe I'm not people anymore, maybe I'm just one of the demons that missed it's way to hell. No. I'm sick. That's all. Sick.

Teenage angst I can deal with. Suicidal tendencies? Nothing terribly new. But thinking I'm a vampire? Vampires aren't real. They're Halloween stories. The "coven" in Denali was just a bunch of freaks pretending...weren't they? If they were pretending, why am I here in Forks looking for another coven?

I should be crazy...or dead, seeing as I have tried and failed several times. And I'm starving. Something makes my stomach twist and an animal rise behind my eyes. Especially around people. Most people. I don't like how people make me feel.

So that explains why I was walking down the middle of the road at three o'clock in the morning. By myself. Thinking murderous, bloody, glorious thoughts. The fact that I haven't seem to have slept in months isn't bothering me.

I heard the semi a long time before it's lights even glimmered on the highway. And it occured to me, what's one more shot at death? Apparently it won't work anyway, so what's one more shot. So I stretched out...in the middle of the road and let my mind drift off into crimson dreamland. At some point I really did think about getting up, but the thought of dying was a bit more appealing. So I'm suicidal. Sue me.

Apparently the driver called the paramedics. And the EMT's thought I was dead when the got out there. I wasn't moving. Of course I was dead. I'm supposed to be dead. Can I please die now?

I just tuned out the world until everything got quiet again. And I sat up to see a marble white face standing at my feet. He was smiling slightly. A nice smile, a warm one. He was wearing a white coat. I was in a hospital.

"Am I dead yet?" I put a hand to my face and pushed hard on the bones under my eyes. I could smell blood all over this place. It made my mouth water and my head hurt.

"You know that you're not." His voice matched his smile. Warm, nice. Fatherly even. Like I even know what that means.

"Can I please die now? It's getting old." I crossed my legs, Indian-style, and glared at him. His eyes were still smiling, a coffee-colored gold that was contagious, but at the moment I wasn't in the mood for nicey-nice. My book was next to the bed, looking dirtier than usualy against the sterile white of the room. I grabbed it, rescuing the text from it's lonely spot.

He almost smiled again.

"Come one. You're coming home with me." He took a clipboard and wrote something on it. What else could I do? Live in the ER for all eternity? Huh. No one really saw us. But he led me around some back ways to ensure we wouldn't get stopped.

"Why amd I coming with you?" I had to stretch my steps to stay even with him, though I still can't figure out how he moves like that.

"My name is Carlisle." He opened the door of a midsize sedan for me. "Just trust me." He closed it and walked around to the other side.

"Trust _you_?!" My jaw dropped and I stared at him as he got in the car and started it. "I don't even _know_ you!"

"Seatbelt." He was ignoring me. This man is driving off iwht me. From a hospital. And all he can say is _seatbelt_?!

I snatched at the strap, clicking it on, then promptly slouched into the seat and put my feet on the dashboard, making sure my shoelaces didn't untie themselves. I heard him sigh through his nose as we hit a rural highway.

"It's safer for you to have a place to stay. Even better to stay with your own kind." His voice was calm, even...and it was starting to make me angry.

"What are you talking about? Own kind?! I'm people, I belong with people. Not freaks who pretend to be some kind of monster from fairytales!" My temper and probably my relative grip on sanity was slipping. I saw his hands tighten on the steeing wheel and felt a stab of bitter satisfaction.

"Being what you are makes you no less 'people'-" His voice had gotten ice cold.

"Oh bite me!" I interrupted him, glancing at his face before fixing my eyes back on my ratty shoes, hugging my book tighter to my chest.

And just to be the maraschino cherry on top of the whole mess, I could almost feel Carlisle start smiling again.

"I doubt that would make much difference at this point." He turned the car into a long driveway that led to a drool-worthy house. "Welcome to my home."

My jaw-dropped before I could really recompose myself. When Carlisle smiled again I scowled and closed my mouth, teeth clicking together. But curiosity killed the cat.

"You _live_ here?!" I unbuckled my seatbelt and scooted out of the car before he could be a gentleman again.

"Yes, with my...family." He followed my up to the door, resting feather-light fingers on my shoulder. I jerked away from his hand, angry again. Anyone who knew me in life wouldn't know me now. I used to be really touchy-feely, but now I can't stand anyone touching me.

The door opened and a woman stood in it's frame, statuesque in the silvery light.

"Carlisle, what on earth are you doing, walking out of here at absurd hours of-oh..."She put spidery hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"

Luckly enough for me, he didn't touch me again.

"This," His smooth face cracked into a grin. "Is a stray that the EMTs of Forks found on the highway."

I didn't even try to smile, at this point I was wound a little too tight, was a little too annoyed, and just a little too upset to make a good first impression.

"My name's Jack." I shrugged and pulled the book a little tighter to me.

"From Jaquelin, how lo-" My temper cut her off.

"No. It's just Jack."

And I could feel Carlisle smiling.


	2. Of Vampires and Superheroes

**Freak on a Leash**

_Ch 2: Of Vampires and Superheroes_

_All right. Now that it's the holidays, I can actually write. And as Runa suggested, I'm going to make a disclaimer. I don't have a spellchek on my computer. I have no earthly idea what exactly is wrong with it, but for the easy spelling errors, just give me a break. I don't catch them that often, but I do try to write well enough for you all to read...xD_

_Enjoy._

Okay. I surrender. Completely and utterly give up. Someone stab me with a stake. Or however you kill vampires. I think I'll hit the road again, rather than try and fit in with these wackos.

That woman, Esme, started it. She really did. I mean, she's a nice lady, but she's a compulsive hugger. Steerike one.

After the intial "Jack-trying-to-keep-herself-from-running-awaw-again" impulse, I asked to be left alone to think. And, in Carlisle's defense, he let me. And I promptly went outside and spent the remainder of the night on the porch, watching the black sky turn gunmetal grey. And it starting pouring down rain, just to match my dark mood.

The door slid open and I heard Esme step outside. Well, more smelled than really heard. She had a clean kind of smell. Something quiet.

"Jack?" She was trying to smile.

"What?" I hunched my shoulders morosely and made a point of staring at the stormy sky.

"Come inside, you're going to get soaked." She gently pulled my elbow. I flinched away fomr her hand and got up, following her into the house. Of course, I really really wanted to run back outside after getting six pairs of eyes ranging from black to gold fixed on me.

I took a defensive step back, right into Esme's arm, which fixed itself tightly around my shoulders and steered me to one of the sofas.

Someone get a camera, I feel an 80s teen angst film coming on. Check the gate. Roll tape.

I sat down fast, ducking from under her arm. This time she took the hint and settles down by Carlisle to let me smolder under my thundercloud of doom.

These people sit like statues. I couldn't help but start to fidget. Of course, when I get nervous, I get funny.

"So...do I have to answer a riddle...or are we going to sit here for all eternity?" I leaned my elbows on my knees and looked at the strange people surrounding me. Besides, Carlisle there were three other boys, all distinctly beautiful. Then two girls, one with the stateliness of a dancer, and the other that kind of buzzed with contained energy.

One of the boys, a thinner one with bronze hair, raised an eyebrow. I didn't miss the look towards Carlisle.

"We could sit here for eternity. But that would be boring." The biggest of the guys was smiling. And big meaning bouncer big, not overweight, just massive. He had an easy smile and I could feel the unsociable front that I cultivate so carefully begin to lower a few notches. "I'm Emmett."

"Jack." I wrapped an arm around my stomach, pressing the brim of my New York Yankees hat into my body. Comfort...blanket...ish.

The bronze-haired one looked at the smallest of the boys pointedly, and the one under scrutiny leaned back with a knowing smile.

"I think I missed something." I turned to look at Esme and Carlisle. She was looking at the bronze boy, and he was looking entertained.

"Edward," Emmett reached around the beauty, who shook her head, and gently pushed the bronze-haired one. "Is being high and mighty about Jasper's," here he pointed to the smaller boy. "Attempts to make you a little happier."

This took me a second. And still didn't click.

"Wait...huh?" I look at Carlisle, who'd leaned foward.

"When you die," He opened his hands like he was expecting something to fall from the ceiling. "Your strongest character traits follow you and tend to recreate much of your personality. Sometimes, those traits are strong enough to become...superhuman gifts."

"In other words," Emmett interrupted, smiling. "We have a couple of superheroes in our family."

My mouth opened slightly as I stared at the beautiful marble faces in front of me.

"And who can do what?" I sat back, trying to think through a crimson haze. Why did my grip on sanity always have to slip like this? Sometimes I was perfectly clear, then everything would fade out into fantastic scarlet with a hint of iron...

_Stop it. Now. None of that is going to help right now._

"Edward can read minds, Jasper can influence emotions, and Alice," he pointed at the smallest girl. "Well, she just has a knack for predicting the stock market." He put an arm around the beauty's shoulder and her lips curled slightly in a small smile. "This is Rosalie. She and I are the normal ones.

If I could have blushed I would have been red. So one of these boys could catch every little thing in my head. Well stay the hell out of mine. I glared at him and he almost smiled, which made my temper slip a little. I don't do well when people laugh at me. Then I looked down at my shoes. These people were decently happy...even if they were undead freaks. In truth, I had no idea what I was doing there. This was never going to be me.

The room was intensely silent and I sighed, pulling out my old hat and jamming it on my head, pulling the brim down to hide me eyes.

"What is _that_?" If it was possible for happy-tempered Esme to sound disgusted, it just jappened.

"What's it look like? A hat." I flicked the brim._Duh. _

"That's not a hat, it's a rag." She reached for it and I ducked away.

"It's not a _rag_!" Feeling childishly possessive, I put my hand on top of my head, holding the old piece of clothing in place.

"You're right, it's not even a rag. And it's not staying in this house." I could hear the switch in her voice from nice, to mother. "And neither are you, without a bath."

"You have _got_ to be kidding me." I looked around at the serious faces around me.

_A bath means water. Water..._I had to stop myself from pulling up that memory. It was one of my most vivid and haunted me in my less clear moments. I looked pleadingly at Edward, beggin him to hear my thoughts and save me without embaressing me. I couldn't tell these people I was afraid of water. I simply couldn't.

Edward wasn't any help.

"Let's go." She took my upper arm and I wasn't about to throw a temper tantrum. So I had to be frogmarched up the stairs. How completely humiliating.

As soon as we were out of sight, I head Emmett start howling laughing and a few voices start up.

Esme directed me to a bathroom and pushed me in. Oh, be ready for all hell to break out. Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war.


	3. Just You Wait Esme Cullen

**Freak on a Leash**

**Chapter 3: Just You Wait Esme Cullen**

_All right then. New chapter. Please enjoy. Thanks to all the readers who are leaving me comments. And to everyone who doesn't: please do, I am always looking for opinions. And to steal Runa's line: I write to improve, not improve my ego...or something along those lines._

_I tried a little harder to double check my spelling this time. Eventually I'll get it right._

xxx

I was furious. And Esme was blocking my way to freedom.

"You are taking a shower and if you don't come out several layers of dirt lighter, I'm coming in there with you." She put her hands on her hips and glared at me.

I never had a good parental experience. Most of the foster parents I got stuck with in Miami really didn't care and let me do what I wanted to. Maybe if they had cared I wouldn't be a vamire now. But as it were, I now had to deal with someone taking responsibility for me. Oh. Joy.

It seemed pretty pointless to do anything else at the moment, so I turned and strode into the shower-half of the bathroom. It was divided, so I could put a door between me and Mama Bear. It slammed nicely though.

What happened next was a stand-off between me and the shower. I will always have an issue with water and no amount of years has, or ever will change that.

I ended up sitting on the edge of the tub, letting the water run, and staring at my forlorn pile of clothes on the floor. After arguing with myself for the better part of thirty minutes, I got in and did exactly what was required. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to sit under the shower nozzle to get clean.

When I finally turned the water off I found a pile of neatly folded clothes and a soft towel. Well, I'm assuming it was soft because it looked that way. I'm not sure though. I think Esme had to scrounge for clothes for me because I was skinny when I was alive and during my pilgrimage across America had hit the point that I actually looked emaciated. But I'm tall, so I look more like Jack Skellington. The jeans were a little big but long enough, so I let them fall low and pulled the shirt on, grimacing at the strip of skin that grinned between the top of the jeans and the bottom of the shirt.

I rubbed my tangled hair with the towel as I warily opened the door. No Esme. My old clothes were gone too, my faithful Yankees hat nowhere to be seen. Needless to say, I lost it.

Who were these people to pull me into their make-believe? To treat me like a child?

I tore down the stairs, and paused for maybe a second to figure out where _she_ was. Kitchen. Something in me was clawing at me insides...ready to unleash a bloodbath.

"Where is it?" My voice was a hiss in my ears that I barely knew.

Esme looked at me, non-plussed, as did Emmett, who was standing by the sink. Her face went from pleasantly calm to completely blank and I saw Emmett shift his weight foward.

"Where is what?" She sounded like she was intentionally trying to slide the confrontation to the side . Which really only succeeded in making me more angry.

The world was tinted with a crimson haze.

"My _hat_. Where is it?" I took a prowling step foward and something wicked in the back of my mind woke up.

_Monster. You're an aninmal. Look at you. Ready to kill. Over a HAT!_ It was mocking, laughing, fueling my temper.

"Jack, I told you it had to go-" She wasn't giving any and her dark eyes flashed a warning.

"It was _mine_! I didn't g_ive_ it to you! I didn't _say_ that I didn't want it. I-" My voice rose in volume and I could feel that I was on the edge of hysterics. Until the water hit me.

It wasn't cold next to my icy skin, but I could feel it. And I was drenched. But it felt the same, sliding across my body, ready to flood me. Irrational, panicked fear replaced all of my anger and I froze, like a macabre statue. _Drowned Girl_. Yeah, that sounds good.

"Nicely handled Emmett." Esme's voice sounded far away, but scolding. I must have closed my eyes because the world was black.

"What was I _supposed_ to do?!" Emmett, now. Defensive. For trying to protect his "mother."

My throat had closed. And the rest of my body seemed to have shut down. My lungs. My heart. What was /wrong/ with me? Am I just a pretend character that didn't get closed into it's book?

Finally something registered. The exhaustive fear. I slid down the counter, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around my head. Water dripped onto the floor.

"Jack?" Esme's hand touched my arm, gentle, comforting. I jerked away.

"Don't touch me." My voice sounded funny to me. It wasn't mine. It was too emotional. That couldn't be me. I wasn't that vulnerable.

Esme just stood at my shoulder, completely unsure of what to do with this surly teenager. She moved away and I breathed in, inhaling all the smells I could. Hands pried my arms away from my head and pulled me to my feet. I opened my eyes and leaned back against the counter, not responding to Emmett's bear-paw hands on my shoulders.

"You're so much prettier without that protective layer of grime." He was trying to make me smile. I simply stared at him with blank eyes and heard Esme.

"Emmett you owe her an apology, not a joke." But she had smiled, so no one was really angry.

"I fell into a sink hole when I was a kid. I almost drowned." My voice still wasn't mine. He pulled back, surprised, all of his lighthearted words drowned in my fear.

"Jack...I'm sorry..." He looked like he was going to try and hug me, so I ducked away.

Sometimes you just can't kiss it and make it better.


End file.
